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Gene that could affect the progress of ALS discovered

Researchers from the Zuckerman Institute at Columbia University have successfully found a gene that could work towards accelerating the progression of ALS or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The study titled, "The loss of TBK1 kinase activity in motor neurons or in all cell types differentially impacts ALS disease progression in SOD1 mice," was published in the latest issue of the journal Neuron.

29 Mar 2020

Genetic mutation found to improve cognitive flexibility in mice

Researchers at the National Institutes of Health have discovered in mice what they believe is the first known genetic mutation to improve cognitive flexibility--the ability to adapt to changing situations.

27 Mar 2020

Brain mapping shows motor regions for the hand may be connected to entire body

Neuroscientists have published findings which reveal that the motor region for the hand connects to the entire body.

27 Mar 2020

Jumping genes help make functional brain cells in a lab dish

The process of making functional brain cells in a lab dish requires the precise activation of selfish genetic elements known as LINE-1 (L1) retrotransposons.

26 Mar 2020

Why Primary Cells Are Important for In Vitro ADME-Tox Studies

Lonza is a large, multinational corporation serving the entire pharmaceutical product development and manufacturing pipeline, from non-clinical research products to final dosage and delivery solutions.

From Lonza 26 Mar 2020

Research team identifies a molecule that directs neurons

The habenula is a small region at the centre of the brain, but is crucial for people's lives. It is made up of groups of nerve cells that control the "neurotransmitters" of the brain, that is to say substances like dopamine, noradrenaline and serotonin.

24 Mar 2020

Scientists discover new genetic editing powers in squid

Revealing yet another super-power in the skillful squid, scientists have discovered that squid massively edit their own genetic instructions not only within the nucleus of their neurons, but also within the axon -- the long, slender neural projections that transmit electrical impulses to other neurons.

23 Mar 2020

New technology that “videos” brain activity could one day enhance prosthetics

Researchers have made a brain-machine interface that links the brain to a silicon chip that “films” neural electrical activity.

20 Mar 2020

High-speed microscope records the passage of millisecond electrical pulses through neurons

Electrical and chemical signals flash through our brains constantly as we move through the world, but it would take a high-speed camera and a window into the brain to capture their fleeting paths.

19 Mar 2020

Researchers find key molecule that helps neurons maintain information in working memory

Working memory, the ability to hold a thought in mind even through distraction, is the foundation of abstract reasoning and a defining characteristic of the human brain.

19 Mar 2020

Psychosis may be caused by problems with specialized nerve cells

A new Japanese study in mice published in the journal Nature indicates that the cause of the profound mental disturbance termed psychosis could be due to defects in the functioning of specialized nerve cells deep inside the brain, and due to some types of learning behavior. This could help understand how delusions arise in psychosis or schizophrenia, and eventually to develop therapies for these conditions.

18 Mar 2020

Alzheimer's and its helper protein

It is commonly observed that the brain in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) often contains fibrils of tau protein, which build up within the brain neurons to interrupt proper communication between them. However, it is far from clear what these deposits mean and how they form.

15 Mar 2020

NCAM2 protein is a vital factor in the formation of cerebral cortex, neuronal morphogenesis

The molecule NCAM2, a glycoprotein from the superfamily of immunoglobulins, is a vital factor in the formation of the cerebral cortex, neuronal morphogenesis and formation of neuronal circuits in the brain, as stated in the new study published in the journal Cerebral Cortex.

13 Mar 2020